Wizards of the Coast has unveiled the newest update to theBanned and Restricted listforMagic: The Gathering. A total of eight cards have been banned, while one card will be allowed back into the Pioneer format.
Magic: The Gatheringhas had a few different updates in the past two months. While June opened with a few card bans, there were also another sevenMTGcards banned due to racist content. The same number of cards is banned this month, but this time it is due to their impact on the game’s meta.
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According to Wizards of the Coast’s announcement, three cards in the Historic format — Agent of Treachery; Winota, Joiner of Forces; and Fires of Invention — will be moving from the suspended list into the group of banned cards. Along with these cards, Nexus of Fate is now banned, while Burning-Tree Emissary is suspended from the format. The Pioneer format is letting Oath of Nissa rejoin the game as the card is unofficially unbanned. Modern players will see the ban of Arcum’s Astrolabe. Pauper format is removing two cards from the table: Expedition Map and Mystic Sanctuary. The changes are effective immediately for tabletop formats andMagic Online, whileMTG Arenawill be updating on July 16.
Wizards of the Coast has gone on to clarify why these changes have been enacted. Due to certain decks being excessively used, the company has decided to remove them from official play in order to encourage a diversity of strategies and keep players from all relying on the same approaches to the game. The Oath of Nissa was returned to play in thePioneer formatdue to other cards that contributed to the overuse of green ramp decks being banned since this card’s ban, and since those complementary cards are no longer available, this means that the card will not be as strong as it was when it was originally banned.
While there were many cards banned in this update,Wizards of the Coastis not touching the Standard format despite recent concerns with Growth Spiral ramp decks. With these changes coming to the game, players are encouraged to try new strategies to gain their victories.
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Source:Wizards of the Coast
